A Strange Discovery
by HungerDragon
Summary: One day, Patrick Mac is in the library when he stumbles across a most strange discovery. How ever did he end up on the cover of a book, and what does it all mean?


**A STRANGE DISCOVERY**

The New York Public Library was like a second home to Patrick Mac. If ever he needed a place to go to to clear his thoughts or simply relax, the library was it.

For years now, he'd been a librarian there, as well as a teacher at Chelsea High. As a guy who loved anything to do with history, expanding his mind and sharing his knowledge with others, there was nothing else he'd rather be doing.

It was a crisp, autumn day, and the library was rather quiet today. Outside, the leaves of the trees were just beginning to swap out their summer colors for the traditional reds, oranges and yellows. Only a few people were sitting in the cushiony chairs, their eyes fixed on the computer screens. Some were reading, others were working on school assignments.

For Patrick, he was on a mission. He'd been reading several new books lately, and was now looking for something fresh and original; he wanted something that would make him think.

He scanned through the list of titles. Down, and down he paged, his eyes darting from one title to the next.

It was when he'd reached the bottom of the fifth page…that he stopped. Something had gotten hold of his attention. Quickly returning to the previous page, he raised a puzzled brow, selected the last title, enlarged the image of the book…and froze.

For a moment, he was so baffled, he almost forget where he was and what he was doing. The sight before him was just too staggering.

But then his eyes widened in utter shock, and he shouted out, "HUH?"

His voice echoed throughout the no-longer-silent library.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Mac?" he heard a voice call to him. It was one of his students in the next room over. Clearly they'd heard their teacher's sudden outburst. He noticed that pairs of eyes were now on him, wondering why he had so unexpectedly shouted out in a place that was designed to be quiet.

"F-fine!" he answered back, swallowing hard. "Everything's fine!"

At once, his eyes returned to the screen, and the impossible sight in front of him.

Hovering in midair in front of him was the book he'd selected. But this was no ordinary book because as crazy and startling and unexplainable as it was…he was on the cover of the book!

The book was called: _Pendragon – Before the War._ Just beneath the title were the words: _Book Three of the Travelers._

"I'm going crazy," Patrick whispered. He blinked, opened his eyes, and was stunned to see that the image of himself on the book cover was still there. What on earth was he doing on the cover of a book? How had he ended up there? And why?

"Who's Pendragon?" he asked, numb with confusion. "And what's a Traveler? What war? Book three? Are there other books?" He shook his head and asked himself, "And why in the world am I on a book cover?"

In his head, thoughts were racing about rapidly, this way and that.

 _Okay, okay, just stay calm. Maybe it's a joke. Yes! A practical joke. But what if it's not? How ever did I end up on a book cover? I don't recall ever writing it? None of my students would have. Oh dear…what if I'm going crazy? No…no…can't go crazy. Oh yes I could!_

He must have stared at the book for a solid twenty minutes before finally snapping out of it. Unable to explain where this book had come from or what any of it meant, there was clearly only one thing left to do.

A few minutes later, he was back home in his apartment. He was sitting on his living room couch, staring at a holographic screen in front of him. He'd just gotten home from the library.

His plans for the rest of the afternoon?

To read this book that for whatever reason, had decided to put him on the cover along with a younger boy and a girl who dressed like a warrior.

When he opened the pages, he flipped ahead, and then stopped when he found what he was looking for.

He was now staring down at the beginning of _his_ part of this story.

In a shaky voice, he said under his breath, "Patrick Mac…"

The poor guy didn't even have a chance to turn the page and begin reading.

No, the overwhelming shock of it all had finally grabbed hold of him.

There was nothing left to do now…but faint.

And that was exactly what the guy did.

There would be no reading today for the dazed librarian.


End file.
